Join us for a Houseplant Swap! Plan on a fun, low-key event to share houseplants and make some new planty friends!

How does a plant swap work? Bring healthy, pest-free houseplants or cuttings to share with others and be prepared to chat, trade & learn! We encourage you to arrive close to when the event starts as there will be time to browse all the plants before the swapping begins.

We will provide materials to label your plant(s) when you arrive. There will also be a $5 raffle for a mystery plant to take home as well as some giveaways. And again, there will be no plants for sale at this event - trades only!

Oh, and did we mention that PizzaMI food truck will be there? They will be set up at Speciation from 12-4PM so come hungry!

THE MOONRAYS return to the Speciation stage!

Don't miss out on their unique blend of Retro Surf, Cosmic Blues & Atomic Rock!

The Moonrays will be playing every last Friday of the month at Speciation.

Music from 8-11pm!

Free THURSDAY show, what the heck?!

This is a legit insane lineup, so put it on your calendar now, and make it a priority!

Carriers (Cincinnati) craft expansive, emotionally resonant indie rock with a spiritual core. Their sound blends cinematic atmospheres with warm analog textures, often building slowly toward cathartic crescendos.

Major Murphy (GR) channels vintage pop and classic rock influences through a lo-fi indie filter, offering tight harmonies, jangly guitars, and subtly psychedelic production.

Turtledoves (Cincinnati) create lush, ambient-leaning psych-folk. Their music drifts and shimmers with layered instrumentation, ethereal vocals, and a deep sense of calm.

If you like the heart-on-sleeve expansiveness of The War on Drugs, the throwback pop sensibility of Whitney or Real Estate, and the serene psychedelia of Beach House or Mazzy Star, these bands will hit that sweet spot!

Music starts at 7.

FREE, ALL AGES

Join us every Wednesday night for Geeks Who Drink trivia, a pub style quiz! Quizmaster Hayley will lead you on an adventure with topics ranging from celebrities in trouble to wordplay to bad television. Come by yourself, or with a team of up to six people!

Also, PizzaMI will have their food truck set up in our parking lot every Wednesday, beginning at 5pm. Arrive early to order some fresh za!

Join us in giving a heartfelt send-off to local classical favorites, Folias Duo! This will be their final performance before embarking on their West Coast tour—let's show them some love before they hit the road.

Folias Duo is a distinguished musical ensemble, renowned for its remarkable fusion of classical and contemporary influences. Comprising flutist Carmen Maret and guitarist Andrew Bergeron, this married duo has cultivated a unique and enduring performer-composer collaboration spanning two decades. Their exceptional artistry breathes fresh vitality into classical music, infusing it with the rich tapestry of jazz, world music, and improvisation, crafting meticulously curated and evocative compositions.

Free Show - Music starts at 7pm - All Ages

We are incredibly stoked to welcome our neighbors at Books and Mortar back for yet another book fair. The theme this time will be… NATURE! They will be set up in our brewery area with all the best nature books out there right now.

We have exciting news: our favorite brunch pop-up just got a food truck! Neko Taiyaki will be celebrating their food truck launch party at Speciation on Saturday, May 24th from 12-6pm. They will also be doing trivia from 2-3pm.

Come check out the new food truck, eat fan-voted flavors, get limited edition merch, bring your friends and compete to win some awesome prizes!

Stuffed waffles from 12-6pm
Trivia from 2-3pm with Here’s Your Host Trivia

A Night of Irish Music, Old & New

Traditional Irish Songs mixed with modern artists like U2, The Cranberries, Damien Rice

Featuring:
Selkie
Tony Halchak
John Robey
and Sarah Ve

With Special Guest Opener:
Felt Cat

@speciationales and @socco.by.denise are bringing you a series of SunCatcher workshops in the month of MAY!

✨ Tuesday, May 6th 6-8pm
✨Thursday, May 22nd 6-8pm

Join us at your favorite local tap room to craft beautiful wire wrapped suncatchers -perfect for all skill levels. All tools and materials provided! House made Crispy Lagers & Pale Ales, Oak Aged Sours, Seltzers, Wine & House Made N/A options available for purchase!
(21+ years old to purchase alcohol, all ages are welcome to attend)

tickets are now available for purchase on Eventbrite!

Join us every Wednesday night for Geeks Who Drink trivia, a pub style quiz! Quizmaster Hayley will lead you on an adventure with topics ranging from celebrities in trouble to wordplay to bad television. Come by yourself, or with a team of up to six people!

Also, PizzaMI will have their food truck set up in our parking lot every Wednesday, beginning at 5pm. Arrive early to order some fresh za!

Thinking about adding more native plants to your yard this year? Start here.

Native Niche is our new spring thing: part plant sale, part info hub, part plant nerd hangout. No tickets, just show up. Grab a beer, pick a plant, and maybe leave with a new garden plan.

Here’s the lineup:

• FOOD TRUCK: Adobo Boy

• Kent Conservation District (plants + info)

• Land Conservancy of West Michigan (educational booth)

• John Ball Zoo’s Habitat Hero Program – free native plants + tips)

• The Garden Guru (plant vendor)

• Native Edge Landscaping (educational booth)

• Nature’s Balance Gardening (plant vendor)

Knorberg - Psychedelic Electronic Jazz - Grand Rapids Sonic Exploration

T.H.V. is the next mutation strain of two-piece band coming out of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Band members (pictured left to right) Evan Follmar and Ed Stanley deliver T.H.V. with complex melodies over layers of syncopated riffs and grooves in a tightly wrapped shipment of songs that give listeners much more to unpack upon hearing. Imagine “if DEVO and System Of A Down had a music baby” or “if Zappa shook hands with Clowncore in Peewee’s Playhouse”.

Free Show // 21+ // Music Starts at 9pm.

It’s another Nature Night! Learn about Native Landscape Design with Native Edge.

Most people are aware that bees and other pollinators are struggling—but many feel powerless to help. The good news? You can make a meaningful impact, starting right at home. Whether it’s your backyard, your balcony, or a community space, planting native species can play a vital role in supporting pollinators and restoring local ecosystems. In this talk, we’ll explore why native plants matter, how they support biodiversity, and how you can take simple steps to grow native—and make a real difference, right where you are.

Presentation and Q&A begin at 7pm!

Join us every Wednesday night for Geeks Who Drink trivia, a pub style quiz! Quizmaster Hayley will lead you on an adventure with topics ranging from celebrities in trouble to wordplay to bad television. Come by yourself, or with a team of up to six people!

NO food truck this week, so bring your own grub!

Uptown event coming May 10! Speciation Ales and Louise Earl Butcher are joining forces, yet again, to bring you a unique opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at what both businesses do best.

You'll meet at Speciation on Wealthy Street, where Jane, Mitch, and the Speciation crew will show you around their brewing and production facility, give some background knowledge on natural fermentation, and walk you through a flight of their favorite pours. A charcuterie board provided by Louise Earl Butcher will also be available for noshing.

After wrapping up at Speciation, the group will stroll up Wealthy a couple of blocks to Louise Earl Butcher, where Matt, Cyndi, and some of their staff will show you around the shop, and give some insight into their operation. We'll wrap-up the evening with a main course and dessert provided by Chef Billy Wood, with pairings from Speciation.

The legendary MARK LAVENGOOD returns to the Speciation taproom for a solo show!!

“Mark Lavengood is truly a treasure in our lives and his music and positivity shine through the darkness like no other. A great songwriter and a master on the dobro, I am honored to call him my friend.” -Billy Strings

Truly spoken, sir Billy!

Get yer butt down here for this show!

Music at 9pm

Free!

21+

Thinking about going solar? Join us at Speciation Cellars. Doors open at 6:30 and the free information session begins at 7:00 PM.

Learn how this program helps Grand Rapids residents save money on solar installations through group-buying.

Around Baking Co. will have their Food Truck set up from 5-8pm, so arrive early to grab some pizza!

@speciationales and @socco.by.denise are bringing you a series of SunCatcher workshops in the month of MAY!

✨ Tuesday, May 6th 6-8pm
✨Thursday, May 22nd 6-8pm

Join us at your favorite local tap room to craft beautiful wire wrapped suncatchers -perfect for all skill levels. All tools and materials provided! House made Crispy Lagers & Pale Ales, Oak Aged Sours, Seltzers, Wine & House Made N/A options available for purchase!
(21+ years old to purchase alcohol, all ages are welcome to attend)

tickets are now available for purchase on Eventbrite!

Join us for an afternoon of good drinks, great company, and adorable pugs! A portion of all beverage sales during the event will be donated to Mid-Michigan Pug Club & Rescue—so you can sip while supporting pugs in need!

🐾 Got a pug (or pug mix)? BRING THEM! They’ll be the stars of the show! ✨

🐶 No pug? No problem! Come get your pug fix and soak up the spring vibes.

Important Info:

✅ Event is outdoors, but you can bring your pug inside when ordering.

✅ BYO food!

✅ All ages welcome!

We are very excited to welcome local legends Cal in Red back to the taproom, along with the buds Whitehall from Brooklyn!

Whitehall is an indie rock four-piece band based in Brooklyn, NY originally from Charleston, SC. Paddy McKiernan (vocals, guitar), Brennan Clark (bass), Davis Rowe (drums), and Avery Greeson (guitar) met in college, and got their start writing songs in a dorm room. After four years spent in the South Carolina DIY scene playing house shows throughout the state, the band recorded their debut album, Ocean Fiction, and embarked on their first tour on the East coast with a live show that is at once frenetic and introspective.

Cal in Red is an indie pop project by brothers Connor and Kendall Wright (Grand Rapids, MI). They have released 1 album, 2 EP's + a flurry of singles, toured nationally, and opened for artists like Karl Blau and Bastille.

Wave Cage combines jazz composition and improvisation, atmospheric synths, and driving beats to create their own blend of electrified jazz fusion. Jazz Weekly pronounced them “Soulful space cadets”, while the River Cities’ Reader described their sound as "evoking the smooth melodies and diverse textures of early Weather Report; the ambitious, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink arrangements of groups such as Jaga Jazzist; and the more genre-agnostic trip-hop beat decisions of such projects as Thievery Corporation and Zero 7."

Caleb “The Negro Artist” Rainey is an author, performer, and producer. He competed in the 2023 UNESCO Slam-0-Vision global poetry slam where he ranked 7th worldwide, and is also a winner of several national poetry slams across the United States. He has shared the stage with spoken word titans such as Siaara Freeman, Denice Frohman, Javon Johnson, Ebony Stewart, Anthony McPherson, Danez Smith and Patricia Smith. His debut book,Look, Black Boy, was awarded first prize in the North Street Book Prize, and his second book,Heart Notes was published in 2019. He released two spoken word albums and in 2023, and as a part of the Brucemore Artisan in Studio program, Caleb produced his first short film, Willing to Grow.

Free Show // Show starts at 9pm // 21+

Join us for a casual discussion of the acclaimed book “The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth” by Zoë Schlanger.

Copies of the book are available for sale in our taproom for $27 + tax.

Join us every Wednesday night for Geeks Who Drink trivia, a pub style quiz! Quizmaster Hayley will lead you on an adventure with topics ranging from celebrities in trouble to wordplay to bad television. Come by yourself, or with a team of up to six people!

Also, PizzaMI will have their food truck set up in our parking lot every Wednesday, beginning at 5pm. Arrive early to order some fresh za!

***CANCELED*** Unfortunately due to a scheduling conflict, this show had to be cancelled.

Super stoked to welcome Moon Goons back to the taproom for a weird and rare Saturday 2pm Matinee show! Self described as “pus filled proggy psychedelia made by Indianapolis’ hungriest goblin rockers”… what more could you want?!

In addition to the band, we will have a food truck! Cousins Maine Lobster will be set up for their Grand Rapids debut from 12-7pm!

We are looking for a local band to play after Moon Goons! Email mitch@speciationartisanales.com if you are interested.

THE MOONRAYS return to the Speciation stage!

Don't miss out on their unique blend of Retro Surf, Cosmic Blues & Atomic Rock!

The Moonrays will be playing every last Friday of the month at Speciation.

Music from 8-11pm!

Join us every Wednesday night for Geeks Who Drink trivia, a pub style quiz! Quizmaster Hayley will lead you on an adventure with topics ranging from celebrities in trouble to wordplay to bad television. Come by yourself, or with a team of up to six people!

Also, PizzaMI is back! They will be set up in our parking lot. Get here early to order some fresh za!

More info at the official blog: https://www.geekswhodrink.com/venues/1182372766/

Newbie? That’s OK!

• Bring a team (up to 6), or join one at the bar

• It’s free to play (but order something, ya cheapskate)

• Expect 70-ish questions over 2 hours

• Win free prizes*

• Go on to massive fame, fortune, a happy home life, self-realization, etc.

Annagail is an American Americana/folk duo based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They’ve always defied and stretched genres. Equal parts singer/songwriters and rock band. Thinking man’s Americana. Darkly optimistic opuses? Pop for philosophers? Country for the curious? Rock for the recluse? Whatever you need to call them, Annagail weave heartache and hope for the disillusioned. If ‘Folk-Rock’ never made sense before, it will now. “Its not uncommon for me to listen to The Cure and Steve Earl back to back…before breakfast,” Jared has said of their fluid style. Suggesting they, “live somewhere between the Foo Fighters and Emmylou Harris.”

Ready to connect with nature right in your city? The City Nature Challenge is here! Join Speciation and John Ball Zoo for a night of Nature Bingo! We will start the night off playing a nature-based bingo with a bit of trivia before we learn all about how to participate in the City Nature Challenge and our friendly competition with Detroit Zoo.

Join us every Wednesday night for Geeks Who Drink trivia, a pub style quiz! Quizmaster Hayley will lead you on an adventure with topics ranging from celebrities in trouble to wordplay to bad television. Come by yourself, or with a team of up to six people!

Also, PizzaMI is back! They will be set up in our parking lot. Get here early to order some fresh za!

More info at the official blog: https://www.geekswhodrink.com/venues/1182372766/

Newbie? That’s OK!

• Bring a team (up to 6), or join one at the bar

• It’s free to play (but order something, ya cheapskate)

• Expect 70-ish questions over 2 hours

• Win free prizes*

• Go on to massive fame, fortune, a happy home life, self-realization, etc.

One guy, full band sound

Stovepipe's Caravan is the moniker for Justin "Stovepipe" Stover, a one man band currently based in Michigan. Stovepipe has performed at opera houses, bars, houses, small venues, large venues, and everything in between. His music is punk-tinged folk-rock. Perfect for fans of Tom Petty, Tom Waits, Springsteen, and anyone who loves foot-stomping songs. He performs both original songs and covers. With a drum set strapped to his back and a host of other instruments, Stovepipe is always ready to bring his caravan wherever people will listen.

Music at 9pm, 21+ only, FREE